Car-coupling



(No Model.) W. CARTER & H. T. WOODS.

OAR COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 9, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVENDELL CARTER AND HENRY'T. \VOODS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR- COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of. Letters Patent No. 286,175, dated Octoher 9, 1883.

Application filed April 0, 1883. (no model.)

To all whom, it 12mg concern.-

Be it known that we, VVENDELL CARTER and HENRY T. Woons. of Boston, in the county scription sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view representing our improved coupler in use; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a draw-bar head with the link removed; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section, showing the buffer extended and link elevated; and Fig. 5, a View of the link detached.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

Our invent-ion relates to that class of carcouplers which are automatic orself-coupling; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a more.

effective device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understoodby all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.

In the drawings, A B represent the cars, D the draw-bar heads, and NV the link. The draw-bars are attached to the cars and provided with springs at their inner ends in the usual manner. The draw-bar head 0 is mortised longitudinally, and fitted to slide therein is a buffenbar, H, provided with a head, E, at its outer end, and with a coiled spring, J, at its inner end, the spring acting expansively to force the bar out of the mortise. A lateral slot, K, is formed in the top of the head, this slot opening downwardly into the mortise in which the bar H slides, and being elongated or cut out at its base, as shown at x, to form the inwardly-projecting hooks L M. These hooks have their inner ends cut out, as shown the upper side of each, as shown at 'm.

Projecting upwardly'from the bar H into the mortise h there is a hook, N, and immediately in front of this hook the bar is provided with an elongated depression or cavity in its upper side, as shown at P. A curved notch, f, is also formed in the top of the bar H, behind the hook N, and beyond this there the bar.

At the rear of the hook L there isa vertical mortise, 0, extending from the top of thehead G into the mortise in which the buffer-bar H works, and pivoted therein is a lever, B, pro vided with a laterally-projecting shoulder, a. A pawl, S, is pivoted conj ointly with the lever B in the mortise O, the lower end of the pawl extending into the notch f and engagingthe bar H. A hole, T, provided with the coupling-pin U, is formed in the draw-bar head at the rear of the mortise 0, this hole being adapted to register with the slot 9 in the bar H. A hole, 1), is also formed in the forward end of the bar H, designed to receive a coupling-pin, (not shown,) andsaid bar is mortised longitudinally at 71., to receive an ordinary coupling-link. The link XV having each of its ends curved or bent downwardly at the center, as shown at 17, and inwardly, as shown at j, (see Fig. 5) is employed for connecting the draw-bar heads.

In the use of our improvement, the link W being in the slots K, with the. curved portions the bars H pushed in to nearly their fullest extent and held by the pawls S, if it is desired to uncouple the cars they are backed or run together, bringing the buffer-heads E E into contact, pushing thebars H in to their fullest extent and causing the ends of the link WV to pass in under the hooks L. The chain Y, connecting with the lever It, is then pulled upwardly by the brakeman on the car A, bringing the shoulder it against the upper end of the pawl S, disengaging said pawl from the bar H, and permitting the spring .l to force said bar forward and cause the hook N to en gage the curved portion 2 of the link. The car A is then slowly started forward, withdrawing the hook L of the head 0 from the is a vertical slot, 9, passing entirely through at a, and there is also a concavity formed in i projecting downwardly into the cavity P, and

1 link, and permitting the spring J in the head D to expand and force the bar H forward to its fullest extent, causing the hook N to engage the curved portioni on the end of the link in the head D. As the carA advances and releases the link W from the hook L of the head 0, the'hook N on the bar H in the head D acting on the curved portion & of the link will force it forward into a cavity, Z, beneath the hook M, thereby causing the link to be thrown out of the slot K in the head and elevated, asshown in Fig. i, in which position 7 it will be securely fastened and carried as the car A travels.

which has kept it elevated, will fall into the notch K in the head 0 and couple the cars, in a manner which will be readily understood without a more explicit description.

Itwill be understood that each of the drawbar heads is precisely like the other, and

therefore that the description given of the head G applies well to D also, that the method described for detaching the car A from the car B applies equally well when it is required to detach car 13 from carA.

The coupling-pin U is connected to the chain Y by a branch chain, 2, and hook I), the branch chain being of such a length that when the main chain Y is drawn up the pin will be withdrawn from the slot and permit the bar H to be forced forward by its spring.

- For the purpose of coupling a car fitted with our improved draw-bar head, buife1-', andlink to a car of the ordinary construction, the bu fferbars are mortised, as shown at h, toreccive the ordinary link, which is secured by a coupling-pin inserted in the hole 1), the outer ends of the draw-bar heads (1 D being vertically grooved, as shown at 1", to receive one side of the pin and prevent it from jamming between the buffer-head E and draw-bar head. The curved portion i forms a crank, with which the hook N engages as the bar H is forced forward by the spring J, thereby journaling the end of the link between the hooks N M and causing its free end to pass through the arc of a circle of which as is the center. The concavities m and curves (4 are for catching and guiding the curved portion i into the cavity]? as the elevated end of the link falls in coupling the cars.

The object of bendin the curved )ortions e l inwardly, as shown atj in Fig. 5, is toprevent the link from being elevated at too great an angle by the hook N when forced under the hook M. \Vhen the link is elevated and buffer extended, as shown in Fig. 4, if the cars are backed together until the buffer in the head D strikes the buffer in the head 0, the link will drop as the buffer-bar is pushed in and the curve 2' on the free or outer end of the link will fall into the concavity m in the hook L of the head G. The link being thereby stopped from advancing, the end in the head D will slide backward in the slot K as the cars approach each other until the buffer-bar is locked by its pawl S and the cars are moved apart, when the end of the link which rests in the'cavity m of the hook L in the head 0 will fall into the slot K. When both buffer-bars are retracted and locked by their pawls, the cars are backed together as far as possible, the ends of the link will pass under the hook L, and as the -cars are separated will engage the hooks M,

as shown in Fig. 1. The buffers E perform all of the functions of ordinary buffers, and their 1 bars remain withdrawn or in their respective draw-bar heads until released by pulling on the chains .Y. The chain 2 is of such alength and so arranged that when the chain Y is pulled up'to unlock the bar H the pin U will be drawn entirely out of the slot 9', but not entirely out of the draw-bar head, its point being left in the hole T, and when the chain Y is lowered to permit the pawl S to engage the bar H the pin U will pass into and partially through the slot so that in case the pawl becomes accidentally thrown out of the notch f the bar H cannot be withdrawn from the draw-bar head. 7

When the cars are coupled by an ordinary link inscrted'in the mortise or mouth 71 the chain z is lowered on the chain Y by thehook I), so that the pin U will pass through thehole T and slot 9, or entirely through the draw-bar head and buffer-bar H, and the chain Y drawn up to disengage the pawl from the notch], thus bringing all of the strain on the pin U. WVhen both of the buffer-bars H are extended and the link elevated, as shown in Fig. 4, if

the cars are brought together for the purpose of coupling, the free or elevated end of the link as it falls will strike in the concavity m of the hook M in the opposite draw-bar head, (instead of the cavity m in the hook L, as when but one buffer-bar is extended,) and will. slide down said cavity and be guided into the slot K as the cars come together. The upper side of the hook M 011 each of the heads is rounded or f conical, so that the link will pass readily down over it in coupling the cars.

Having thus explained our invention, what we claim is 1. The improved car-coupler herein described, the same consisting of the draw-bar heads 0 D, each provided with the hooks L M, lever B, pawl S, and hole T, the bars H, provided with a buffer, E, cavity P, hook N, notch f, slot g, spring J, hole a, and mortise h, in combination with the link W, chains Y Y cc, and pins U U, constructed, combined, and arranged to operate substantially as set set forth.

- 2. In a car-coupler, the link WV, provided with the curves or cranks '17, in combination with the hooks N and means for elevating one end of said link to nncouple the car, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the link IV, having the curves or cranks i z inclined inwardly to prevent the link from being raised too high by the hook N, substantially as described. I

4. In a car-coupler, the hook M, provided with the concavity m to receive the curve t on the link W and guide the link into the slot K, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupler, the concavity m in the hook L, for receiving the curve 1' on the link \V and guiding the link into the slot K, substantially as specified.

6. In a car-coupler, the draw-bar head D, provided with the buffer-bar H, in combination with means for locking said buffer-bar within the head, and a spring for forcing it out, substantially as set forth.

7. In a car-coupler, the cavity 1 in the bar H, to receive the curve i of the link \V, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a car-coupler, the cavity Zbeneath the hookM, to receive the hook N and curve when the bar H is forced forward to elevate the link IV, substantially as specified.

9. In a car-coupler, the bar H, provided with the mortise or mouth 71., hole '0, slot g, spring J, and pin U, in combination with the head 1), substantially as set forth.

10. In a car-coupler, the chain Y, in combination with the lever It, pawl S, and bar H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a car-coupler, the chain Y, provided with the branch chain 2, in combination with the pin U, lever It, pawl S, and bar H, substantially as set forth. I

12. In a car-coupler, the head 0, provided with the vertical groove 1 to prevent the pin in the hole 11 from jamming between the buffer E and said head, substantially as shown and described.

13. In a car-coupler, the curve ain thehook M, to permit the inwardly-inclined curve t of the link W to pass readily into and out of the slot K, substantially as set forth.

14. In a car-coupler, the lever B, provided with the shoulder a, in combination with the pawl S, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

15. In a car-coupler, a draw-bar head carrying a sliding buffer-bar, the buffer-bar being provided with means for engagaing the coupling-link and elevating one end of the same to uncouple the cars, substantially as set forth.

'16. In a car-coupler, the combination ofthe following instrumentalities, to wit: a drawbar head provided with a hook for engaging the coupling-link, a spring-buffer bar carry- -ing a buffer and fitted to slide longitudinally in the draw-bar head, means for locking the buffer-bar in the draw-bar head, and means for elevating the coupling-link or detachingit from one of the draw-bar heads with which it is engaged, substantially as described.

ENDELL CARTER. HENRY T. WOODS. itnesses:

O. A. Snnv, L. J. WHITE. 

